Neighbour hailed as a hero

A QUICK-THINKING resident was praised after his actions helped to prevent an overheated DVD player causing a serious house fire.

The man was passing by a semi-detached property in Cumberland Avenue, in Tyldesley, when he spotted flickering flames in the window of an upstairs bedroom.

He knocked on the door of the house, rushed in to grab the burning electrical equipment and placed it safely outside.

Fire crews were called to the house just before 10pm on Sunday, and said the man’s prompt action could have prevented a major incident. The two adults and three children in the house were all unhurt.

Crew manager Mark Anderson said: “The motor on a DVD player overheated, which caused it to set on fire. The occupants had also stacked all the electrical items together, so as the DVD player burnt it has dropped down on to a stereo and Xbox as well.

“There was quite a lot of material around the bedroom which would have caught fire very quickly if the blaze had been given any more time to develop, so they have had a lucky escape.”

The incident caused slight smoke damage to the child’s bedroom where the fire started.

Firefighters from Atherton station also checked the house’s smoke alarms were working and ensured the fire had not been caused by faulty electrics.

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